last word
Designed to Sell
by Melanie McIntosh
Have you ever entered a store, looked around, and walked out because it was messy or felt claustrophobic? Or maybe you returned to a store in search of your favorite product, only to find the merchandise completely rearranged.
CONFUSION IS COSTLY
If a customer is conscious of feelings of frustration or confusion, the cause may be ineffective store layout and merchandising.
Customers won't complain if they're confused; they'll just turn around and walk out. Although many will tolerate a mild level of confusion, they may not return and they might express their frustration to their friends.
So, what can you do to reduce customer confusion?
MAKE IT EASY
An effective store layout is easy to understand. It has a natural flow and visual cues to help shoppers find their way through. Product groupings are clearly delineated.
The right side of the front area is key to sales and for establishing the identity of the store. The fixtures and merchandise in this space need to draw people in.
Entice shoppers with a dynamic display in this area. It should announce that the store is brimming with new and exciting offerings.
PLACE PRODUCTS WISELY
A general rule to use when organizing the store is to keep major departments and staple items on walls and in lower traffic areas.
Shoppers want to know that the basics won't move around. They want to find these things easily each time they return.
Seasonal and high-margin merchandise, on the other hand, should be in high-traffic areas.
WALK IN THEIR SHOES
It's important to consider what the shopper sees from different viewpoints in the store.
For example, what does your customer see at the back of the store when she comes in the door? Treat that view like a display. Is there a strong, appealing focal point? Is there balance and symmetry?
| PLAN IT ON Paper |
|---|
| Before you get all excited and start moving things around, make a plan. On paper. Not in your head. A helpful tool is a planogram. A planogram is a floor plan of the entire store with fixtures and merchandise placement, including quantities of merchandise. It enables you to work out a layout on paper, making merchandise or fixture moves quicker and easier. Even if only a small section of the store is being moved, it's helpful to plan it on paper first. A clear plan is easy to convey to team members and makes the move more efficient and effective. |
Fixtures should increase in size from the front to the back of the store or department. This way the customer can take in an overall view of the store without any obstructions. It also keeps the front of the store from feeling closed in.
Creating clear focal points and moving obstructions are both important steps toward reducing customer confusion. EB
Melanie McIntosh is the owner of Inspire Retail Solutions.
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